


Sweet Everythings

by duplicity



Series: Paid in Compliments [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drinking, Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, M/M, POV Harry Potter, Texting, Tom Riddle being a Drama Queen, this was written purely for laughs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:54:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22237417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duplicity/pseuds/duplicity
Summary: In which Tom learns that when Harry gets drunk, he just dishes out love and compliments like candy.Obviously the correct way forward for Tom is to use this newfound knowledge to his advantage by attending the next party Harry goes to with the express purpose of getting attention.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle
Series: Paid in Compliments [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1600702
Comments: 44
Kudos: 785





	Sweet Everythings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [waitingondaisies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/waitingondaisies/gifts).



> this is for hannah, who is the world's awesomest friend.
> 
> if you haven't read the first part 'If You Can't Say Anything Nice... ', i think a lot of this story will go over your head? it probably will go over your head.

“Is this thing on? Is this thing? Is it on?” Harry poked at his phone, trying to see if it was taking the photo he wanted it to.

Ron grabbed the phone from Harry and looked at the screen. “I think you went live, Harry.”

“Ah, damn it.” Harry squinted at the camera. Though he could see the screen well enough, it looked… wobbly. “Why’s’it moving like that?”

“I’m holding it still. You’re the one wobbling. Here,” Ron said, reaching out a hand to steady Harry. Then he handed Harry back his phone.

Harry and Ron were at a party somewhere. A party held by Ron’s brothers, Fred and George. Harry had only come along because Ron wanted him to, but then there had been free alcohol, and Harry wasn’t one to say no to free. (What uni student was?)

“Oh.” Harry blinked, then looked over at Ron, suddenly overwhelmed with a surge of heartfelt emotion. “You’re really awesome, you know that? The best friend in the whole world. You’re the best. Ron, you’re amazing.”

Even though he’d only had two drinks and a bit of a third, Harry was feeling pretty nice. Nice enough to want to take a photo of himself and his best friend, Ron Weasley.

Ron snorted. “I totally am. And you’re totally a lightweight.”

“Hey,” Harry said, offended. “It just means I pay less money to get drunk. I’m winning.”

“Sure you are, Harry. You’re still streaming live, by the way.”

Oops. Harry fumbled with the screen, switching the recording off. Then he stared at it for a moment, trying to decide whether or not the posting of a livestream while drunk was going to surface as horrific shame the next morning. But then again, Ron was actually the best. He was just that great. Ron totally deserved to be displayed as really awesome in front of all two hundred something of Harry’s Instagram followers.

Decision made, Harry put his phone away for the rest of the evening, where he forgot all about it until he woke up the next morning in Ron’s dorm room. By then, it seemed better just to leave it since so many people had already seen it. It wasn’t embarrassing, and Harry had his account set to private anyways. Plus Ron seemed to be weirdly thrilled about it all, and Harry was all for boosting Ron’s inconsistent self-esteem.

What Harry should have been paying attention to was Tom’s name on the list of people who had viewed the story.

* * *

**Tom:** Where was that party you were at last night?

**Harry:** it was at the weasley twins’

**Tom:** Interesting.

**Harry:** interesting?

**Tom:** The next time you get yourself invited to an event like that, let me know.

**Harry:** i can take care of myself! and ron is like, my designated sober person. you really don’t need to worry about me

**Tom:** I’m not worried. I think I’d like to go with you.

**Harry:** you? uni party? say it ain’t so

**Tom:** You’re the one who keeps telling me they’re fun.

**Harry:** free alcohol = fun

**Harry:** live and let live, tom

* * *

Because Harry was a good boyfriend, he dutifully texted Tom the location of the next party he had been invited to. Tom had the benefit of living on campus, meaning a lot of parties were within walking distance for him, but he’d apparently never gone to any, probably because he liked to pretend he was a stick in the mud.

Privately, Harry thought that Tom was just very averse to the sheer chaos that frat parties emanated. It was a situation with too many variables, something that was bound to make Tom, who was a bit of a control freak, a little uncomfortable. Hopefully going to this party would help warm him up to the whole thing.

“I thought you said your boyfriend doesn’t do frat parties?” asked Hermione, after Harry had explained that Tom would be coming.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were headed to the party, which was being hosted by Cedric Diggory, who was a senior. Diggory lived in an apartment he shared with his girlfriend, Cho Chang. It was a short ten minute walk from the main part of campus.

Harry shrugged in response. He wasn’t exactly sure why Tom wanted to come, either. But if Tom wanted to come, then Harry would welcome it. It would be nice to see Tom let loose for once.

* * *

**Tom:** I’m almost there.

**Harry:** yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaass

* * *

By the time Tom had arrived, Harry was two drinks in and feeling kind of awesome. He had mostly been dancing with Hermione, who was giggling while Harry swung her around and around.

“Hey, Tom,” Ron said.

Harry looked over to see Tom was dressed in his usual trousers and collared navy button up, looking a tad out of place surrounded by the crowd of t-shirt clad uni students. Still, Tom had a pleasant smile on his face as he approached Harry and his friends.

“Tom!” Harry said, dropping Hermione hands so he could go over and give Tom a hug.

“Harry,” Tom said, sounding faintly amused. His hands came up to clasp Harry’s shoulders. “You seem like you’re having a good time.”

“I am.” Harry nodded. “I’m _so_ glad you’re here, Tom. Let me get you a drink.” He pulled Tom over to the table, where an eagle-eyed Cho Chang was serving out the alcohol.

“Oh, I’m fine.” Tom shook his head. “I’m only here for you, really. And to observe.”

Harry paused, turning to regard Tom with what he hoped was a judgemental expression. “I thought you came here to have fun.”

Tom held a hand up to his heart. “But I _am_ having fun, Harry. I’m here with you, after all.”

“Aww,” said Harry. “That’s so sweet. Alright. Well, I think I’m going to have another drink.”

“You do that,” Tom said. “And I’ll be here while you do.”

* * *

After drink number three, Harry started to get the feeling that Tom was after more than just the casual observation of a university frat party.

“Tom’s kind of a stick in the mud,” Hermione mused. “All he does is hover around you.”

Harry hadn’t really noticed that happening, but perhaps that was just because he really liked having Tom around. Unfortunately, Tom had left to use the loo about a minute ago. Harry missed him. He hoped Tom would come back soon.

“He doesn’t do frat parties,” Ron said sagely. “I could have told you that.”

“Maybe he used to not do them,” Harry said loyally. "But now he does!"

It was then that Harry saw Tom approaching them. Tom appeared to be rather disgruntled, which Harry did not like to see. Tom ought to be happy and smiling at Harry all the time.

“But look how _pretty_ he is,” Harry continued. “Isn’t he just the cutest?”

Tom seemed to have caught the tail-end of Harry’s sentence, because his expression shifted to one of amusement as he drew near.

“I just want. I want to squish your stupid handsome face,” Harry said to him without preamble. “With both hands.”

“Yeah, maybe time for some water, Harry,” said Ron.

“No, no,” Tom said, waving Ron away with an errant hand. “Let him continue.” A slow smirk was spreading its way across the mouth on the stupid handsome face that Harry wanted to squish.

“You are so smart, Tom,” Harry babbled. “And the best boyfriend in the whole world—”

* * *

When Harry woke the next morning, he was laid out on the floor of Hermione’s dorm room.

“Oh my god,” said Harry, sitting upright. And then he nearly toppled over because his arms were still pinned to his sides by the blanket burrito he was currently tangled in.

“Too loud,” said Hermione from where she was curled up on her bed, pulling a pillow on top of her bushy hair. “Too _loud_.”

“He was _fishing for compliments_ ,” Harry continued, still at the same volume, because in his sleep-deprived state it seemed essential that all his friends know this fact as soon as possible.

Hermione picked up a stuffed bear and chucked it at him. The bear bounced harmlessly off of Harry’s shoulder and landed on Ron, who had somehow slept through Harry’s entire moment of shocked realization.

“What?” Ron asked, the word slurred as he rolled over towards them.

Harry repeated what he’d just told Hermione, ignoring Hermione’s groan of protest as he did so.

“Oh, huh.” Ron mulled that over, then said, “That makes sense, honestly.”

* * *

**Harry:** you are a prat. i see right through you, and you are a prat

**Tom:** That’s not what you said last night ;)

* * *

“Winky face emoji?!” Harry said, incredulous. “Tom _never_ sends emojis.”

“Harry,” said Hermione, voice strained. “If you don’t shut up right this moment, I am going to kick you out of here, and I hope you know that it’s four in the morning and the buses won’t run regularly for another two hours.”

“Urghhhh,” Harry said, flopping back down onto the floor with a thump. “My boyfriend is an attention-seeking idiot and I can never have more than two drinks around him ever again.”

“You asked for it,” Hermione said. “Don’t say I did not warn you.”

Hermione’s eyes were still scrunched shut as she sat up, but Harry could hear her knuckles cracking ominously, even from where he was on the floor. Perhaps he had made a mistake.

* * *

**Harry:** uh tom

**Tom:** Yes?

**Harry:** can i come over

**Harry:** hermione kind of kicked me out for being too loud

**Harry:** she’s hungover

**Tom:** I might be persuaded to allow you over. For a price.

**Harry:** okay nevermind i’m breaking up with you, we’re over, this is goodbye forever

**Tom:** Don’t be so dramatic. You can come over.

**Harry:** :D

**Author's Note:**

> Tom: Remember that time you called me the best boyfriend in the history of boyfriends? That I put all other boyfriends to shame with my magnificent presence? Feels like it was only yesterday.
> 
> Harry: because that was literally yesterday. also, i hate you.
> 
> * * *
> 
> find me & my writing updates on tumblr [here](https://duplicitywrites.tumblr.com)!
> 
> feel free to join my personal discord server for my writing [here](https://discord.gg/BJRP4A5)!


End file.
